James Franck

Facts

Affiliation at the time of the award: Goettingen University, Göttingen, Germany

Prize motivation: "for their discovery of the laws governing the impact of an electron upon an atom."

James Franck and Gustav Hertz received their Nobel Prize one year later, in 1926.

Prize share: 1/2

Work

After the publication of Niels Bohr's theory on the structure of the atom, James Franck and Gustav Hertz conducted an experiment in 1913 to verify it. A potential difference was applied to a tube containing a low-pressure gas. When the potential difference was increased, the current flowing through the tube also increased until it reached a certain voltage, when it suddenly declined. The result supported Niels Bohr's theory, in which electrons can only have specific, discrete energies. The potential difference increased the free electrons' mobility until, at a certain energy level, they jumped to a higher-energy orbit instead.

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This year 12 new laureates have been awarded for achievements that have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind. Their work and discoveries range from cancer therapy and laser physics to developing proteins that can solve humankind’s chemical problems. The work of the 2018 Nobel Laureates also included combating war crimes, as well as integrating innovation and climate with economic growth. Find out more.

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